What Veterans and Families Need to Know
There is a benefit available to many veterans and their surviving spouses that, in my nearly 30 years in this field, I still see go unclaimed far too often. It is called the VA Aid and Attendance benefit. It is real, it is meaningful, and if you or someone you love might qualify, it is worth understanding. This article is meant to give you a clear, honest overview so you know where to start.
What is the Aid and Attendance benefit?
The VA Aid and Attendance benefit provides additional monthly payments on top of a VA pension for eligible veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities or who are housebound due to a disability. It is tax-free. It is paid monthly. And it can make a significant difference in what someone can afford for care.
As of December 1, 2025 (the most current rates), the maximum annual pension rates for those who qualify for Aid and Attendance are:
- Veteran with no dependents: up to $29,093/year (approximately $2,424/month)
- Veteran with one dependent: up to $33,548/year (approximately $2,796/month)
- Surviving spouse (no dependents): up to $18,697/year (approximately $1,558/month)
The actual monthly payment is based on the difference between the person’s countable income and the applicable maximum rate. Someone with little or no income may receive close to the full amount.
Who is Eligible?
Eligibility has three components: military service history, financial need, and level of care required.
Military service
The veteran must have served at least 90 days of active duty, with at least one day during a recognized wartime period, and must not have received a dishonorable discharge. Veterans who entered active duty after September 7, 1980 generally must have served at least 24 months.
Recognized wartime periods include:
- World War I (April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918)
- World War II (December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946)
- Korean War (June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955)
- Vietnam War (August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975, or November 1, 1955 to May 7, 1975 for those who served in the Republic of Vietnam)
- Gulf War (August 2, 1990 through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)
Financial need
The veteran or surviving spouse must have income and net worth within limits set by Congress. From December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, the net worth limit is $163,699. This calculation includes assets and income but does not count the primary home, one vehicle, or basic household furnishings.
Unreimbursed medical expenses can reduce countable income, which sometimes makes people eligible even when they first assume they are not. It is worth a conversation with an accredited VA representative before assuming you don’t qualify.
Level of Care
To qualify for Aid and Attendance specifically (rather than the basic pension), at least one of the following must be true:
- The person needs help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, feeding, or attending to personal hygiene
- The person spends a large portion of the day in bed due to illness
- The person is a patient in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity
- The person has severely limited eyesight (corrected visual acuity of 5/200 or less in both eyes, or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
How do you apply?
There are two main paths depending on the situation.
If the veteran is not already receiving a VA pension:
Apply for the VA pension first using VA Form 21P-527EZ (Application for Pension). The Aid and Attendance benefit is layered on top of the pension, so pension eligibility must come first.
Apply online now: va.gov/pension/apply-for-veteran-pension-form-21p-527ez
If the veteran or surviving spouse is already receiving a VA pension:
Submit VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance). A section must be completed by a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist.
Download or apply online: va.gov/forms/21-2680
If the applicant is a nursing home resident, VA Form 21-0779 (Request for Nursing Home Information) is also required.
For surviving spouses applying for Survivors Pension:
Use VA Form 21P-534EZ (Application for DIC, Survivors Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits).
Apply online: va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation/survivors-pension
Applications can also be mailed to the Pension Management Center serving your state or submitted in person. Find your nearest VA office: va.gov/find-locations
What documents are needed?
Gathering paperwork before you start will make the process smoother. Here is what is typically required:
- DD-214 or other discharge/separation documents (proof of service)
- Medical records documenting the need for aid and attendance
- Completed VA Form 21-2680, signed by a licensed medical examiner
- Income and asset documentation: bank statements, investment accounts, Social Security benefit letters, pension statements
- Marriage certificate, if applying as a surviving spouse
- Death certificate of the veteran, if applicable
- VA Form 21P-0969 (Income and Asset Statement), if requested
Note: If a veteran’s records were among those destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, the VA has a process to help reconstruct them. Do not let missing records stop you from applying.
How long does it take?
Honestly, it varies. The VA processes claims in the order received, except for those qualifying for priority processing such as terminal illness or financial hardship. Filing a Fully Developed Claim (FDC) can speed things up. This means submitting all required evidence at the same time as the initial application and certifying no additional evidence exists. Complete claims move faster.
One step many families miss: file an Intent to File notice before you submit the full application. This locks in your potential start date for payments while you take the time to gather documents. It can be filed online, by phone at 1-800-827-1000, or in person at a VA regional office.
Where can you get help at no charge?
There are people whose entire job is to help veterans and families navigate this process, and they do not charge for their services.
VA-Accredited Representatives and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs)
The VA strongly encourages working with an accredited representative. VSOs such as the American Legion, DAV (Disabled American Veterans), and VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) provide free claims assistance with local chapters throughout Oregon and Washington.
Find a representative near you: va.gov/get-help-from-accredited-representative
AARP Veterans Resources
AARP has a free online guide specifically covering the Aid and Attendance benefit, including plain-language eligibility guidance and caregiver support resources.
- AARP Aid and Attendance guide: aarp.org/veterans/va-aid-attendance-benefit
- AARP Military Caregiving helpline: 1-877-333-5885 (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET) — free support for family caregivers of veterans
- AARP Veterans resources hub: aarp.org/veterans
Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration for Community Living)
A free nationwide service run by the federal Administration for Community Living. Connects older adults and caregivers with trusted local resources including help navigating veteran benefits, home care options, meals, and transportation.
- Phone or text: 1-800-677-1116
- Online: eldercare.acl.gov
NCOA BenefitsCheckUp (National Council on Aging)
A free, confidential online screening tool from the National Council on Aging. Helps veterans and older adults find benefits they may qualify for based on ZIP code, including Aid and Attendance, Medicare savings programs, food assistance, and more. A good starting point when families are not sure where to begin.
Start here: benefitscheckup.org
State Veterans Affairs Offices
Oregon: oregon.gov/odva | Washington: dva.wa.gov
VA General Helpline
1-800-827-1000
A word of caution
The VA has issued formal warnings about scam artists targeting pension recipients, particularly those receiving Aid and Attendance. There are two patterns worth knowing about.
Fee-based “helpers.” Anyone who charges a fee to file a VA pension claim is a red flag. Legitimate help is always free through VSOs and VA-accredited representatives.
The 3-year look-back rule. In October 2018, the VA added a rule that looks back three years at asset transfers before the application date. If someone transferred money or purchased certain financial products (such as annuities or trusts) within that window to reduce their assets and qualify, it can create a penalty period delaying benefits. Be wary of anyone who suggests moving or repositioning assets as a strategy to qualify. As AARP notes, salespeople sometimes use Aid and Attendance eligibility as a reason to sell high-commission financial products. If someone is suggesting both, that is a warning sign.
Legitimate help with VA claims is always free.
Report suspected fraud: AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 1-877-908-3360 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET)
The bottom line
If you have a parent, a spouse, or a client who is a wartime veteran or a surviving spouse, and they are struggling to afford daily care, it is worth taking the time to check eligibility. The benefit exists. The help to apply exists. And the people who can walk you through it are available at no cost.
Start at va.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound, use the NCOA BenefitsCheckUp tool at benefitscheckup.org, or call 1-800-827-1000.
Sources
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligibility for Veterans Pension.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. How to Apply for VA Pension.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligible Wartime Periods.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits (scam warning).
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Get Help from an Accredited Representative.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. About VA Form 21-2680.
AARP. VA’s Aid and Attendance Can Cover Long-Term Care.
Eldercare Locator, U.S. Administration for Community Living.
